4 Field Service Problems… and One Solution

From managers to technicians, all field service employees are well aware of the common – and shared – industry struggles. Having difficulties processing work orders? Are the budget calculations falling flat? Or are you dealing with disgruntled customers? No matter what the challenge, trust us: we’ve all been there!

Let’s take a look at the four most common – and irritating – tribulations that field service companies face…and how to fix them all with one simple solution. Get ready to wave goodbye to your everyday business problems, and hello to a brighter, more efficient future!

1. Poor Time Estimates

As any good field service technician knows, the customer is always king. And one of the best ways of putting a smile on your clients’ faces – and ensuring return business – is excellent communication before, during, and after the delivery. If a technician is stuck in traffic or is held up at a previous job, informing the client as early and quickly as possible not only helps manage expectations, but also instils trust in your services. But let’s be honest: more often than not, that doesn’t happen.

2. Unproductive Data Management

If you have to sift through mountains of paperwork to get to the bottom of a work order or a customer complaint, you know how frustrating and inefficient this task can be. More often than not, this process of collecting data not only discourages easy, clear communication, but also wastes time and diminishes the quality of customer service.

3. Lacking Performance Evaluations

It’s not that managers don’t want to evaluate their employees’ performance: it’s that they simply don’t have the time. After spending hours sorting through paperwork, the thought of looking through more is usually out of the question – let alone having to piece together disjointed data to make sense of the big picture. The result? No time, no evaluations, no performance improvements. It’s a vicious cycle!

4. Logistical Nightmares

Making sure that all operations run smoothly may sound easy in theory, but can quickly become a nightmare in practice. Whether it’s aligning managers and technicians, scheduling jobs, ordering materials, or communicating with customers, one mistake can have a domino effect, leaving you flustered at best, and with fewer clients at worst. But how do you minimise error and maximise employee and customer satisfaction?

We’re glad you asked! Inaccurate time estimates, poor data management, and wanting performance evaluations all lead to logistical mishaps, but there’s one tried and tested way to resolve them. Field service automation is becoming more and more popular in today’s digital age – and has the potential to transform your business operations for the better. Just imagine it: all of the problems and frustration that surround field service management could be replaced with a few easy clicks… and a whole lot of revenue!

The Solution

But not just any field service automation solution will do. After all, if you’re going to revolutionise your business, you might as well do it right with Field Service Lightning! As part of Salesforce, the world’s #1 CRM, this tool offers an entirely mobile solution to your problems, ensuring that all employees are able to access customer data from anywhere and everywhere. Find out more about its crew and appointment scheduling tools, as well as its guided set-up and return order feature, in one of our latest blog posts.

Ready to streamline your operations, optimise your customer service, and leave your competitors flailing in the dust? Field service automation is the key to your future success. If you’re itching to find out more about how Field Service Lightning can help you reach new heights, get in touch with our friendly and experienced team today.